Cover operating mechanism



June 8, 1948. F. w. DICKMAN 2,442,369

COVER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 10, 1945 v *3 Sheets-Sheet l 2 a WITNESSES. CLOSED INVENTOR OPEN 0 FIG FORREST W. DICKMHN ORNEY June 8, 1948. F. w. DICKM AN I 2,442,869

COVER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 10, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 65 WITNESSES: INVENTOR a '7 FORREST W. DICKMHN BY w 6.14.1105 m 7/ W ATTORNEY COVER OPE'RATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 10, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet s 2-!- "IIIIIIIIIIIJJIIIIA s? f m 55 g :F' 54 Ag 52 k ,6

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ATTORNEY Patented June 8, 1948 COVER OPERATING 'MECHAN' ISM Forrest W. Dickma-n, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 10, 1945, Serial N 0. 577,306

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a cover operating mechanism for a receptacle such as a roaster or the like.

One object of the invention is to produce an improved cover operating mechanism.

When it is necessary to manually lift the cover of a roaster while it is in use, the arm and hand of the operator may be exposed to hot steam or vapors and may also accidentally come in contact with hot portions of the receptacle with resultant discomfort and possible injury.

It is, therefore, a further object of the invention to produce improved cover operating means whereby the cover of the roaster or the like may be opened or closed from a point remote from and below the level of the cover.

A still further object is to produce an improved cover operating mechanism which, when incorporated in'the receptacle structure, will be relatively .inconspicuous so as not to mar the appearance of the receptacle, and one which will possess a certain amount of mechanical advantage so that the cover maybe opened .or closed without undue physical exertion.

A still further object is to produce improved cover operating means which will not unduly increase the size, weight, or cost of the utensil.

These and other objects are efiected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming .a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a roaster provided with cover operating means embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the roaster shown in Fig. 1; certain parts being broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, rear elevation of the roaster shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, certain parts being omitted;

Fig. '5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view showing the cover in closed position, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. showing the cover in open position; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken onr'line VII--VII of Fig. 3.

'In the drawings, I have illustrated my improved cover operating means as applied to a roaster comprising a body ID and a cover l2 for closing the open top of the body. The body H1 is supported on legs 14 and includes a bottom wall 16, a front wall I-B, side Walls 20, and a rear wall 22. The roaster is preferably heated by means of a suitable electric heating element, not shown, but it will be understood that the improved cover operating mechanism herein disclosed is equally applicable to any type of utensil or receptacle regardless of how it is heated and regardless of whether or not it is heated at all.

'The roaster includes an inner, removable liner 26 which is adapted to contain the food to be cooked and to seat within the body It. As shown in Fig. 5, the upper rim of the liner is provided with a flange 28 which rests on a corresponding rim 33, formed at the upper edge of the body ill, whereby the liner is suspended within said body. The flange 28 is recessed to provide a seat 32 for receiving and engaging a pendant rim M, carried by, or forming part of the cover, as best shown in Fig. 6.

As shown, the cover operating means embodying my invention includes a lever 38 which extends transversely, from front to rear, of the roaster, and which is pivoted, on a vertical axis, to the bottom wall of the roaster, at 40, so as to be movable, in cover opening or cover closing direction, in a horizontal plane parallel to the bottom wall of the roaster. The front end of the lever extends beyond the front wall of the roaster and is provided with an operating handle 42 and the pivot point of the lever 38 is remote from said handle, thus providing mechanical advantage which facilitates openin and closing of the cover.

The lever 38 is movable between the position shown in solid lines and the position indicated by the dot and dash line in Fig. 2, the front end of the lever being guided by, and confined with- :in, a guide slot M formed between the front portion of the bottom wall of the roaster and a bracket '65 secured to the bottom wall at 48. If desired, the length of the slot 44 may be made equal to the stroke or range of movement of the lever 38, so that the movement of thislever may be limited by the ends of said slot. The rear end of the lever 38 terminates in a reduced portion 50 which engages, and base limited range of movement within, a slot 5| formed in the lower end of a pivoted lever 52.

The lever 52 is pivoted. on a horizontal axis at '53, to the rear wall of the roaster for movement in a vertical plane parallel to the rear wall of the roaster. The lever 52 includes a relatively short arm 54 extending downwardly from the pivot point 53 and a relatively long arm 56 extending upwardly from the pivot point. The lever 52 may be straight, but as shown, the arms 54 and 56 thereof are arranged at an angle so that the lever 52 is in the nature of a. bellcrank. By this arrangement, the range of movement of the reduced portion 50 f the lever 38 required completely to open or close the cover is shortened as compared with the range of movement which would be necessary if the lever 52 were made straight. Also, the length of the upper arm 56 of the bellcrank is such that the cover is moved from completely closed to completel open position by a comparatively limited arcuate movement of the bellcrank.

While the movement of the lever 38 in cover opening or cover closing direction may be limited by the slot 44 or by the arrangement and structure of the bellcrank 52, I prefer to provide stops 55 and 51 carried by the rear wall of the roaster and against which the bellcrank arm 55 is adapted to abut. The stops 55 and 51 are so spaced that the upper arm 56 0f the bellcrank abuts the stop 51, when the cover operating mechanism is in cover opening position, and

abuts the stop 55 when the cover operating mechanism is in cover closing position.

The cover operating means also includes a fixed bracket 59 formed of a flat portion 60, which is rigidly secured to the rear wall 22 of the roaster, and end flanges 62 which extend rearwardly from, and at a right angle to, the rear wall of the roaster. The flanges 62 carry ashaft or, rod 64 which pivotally supports a U-shaped bracket 65 which supports the cover l2. The bracket 65 includes end arms 66 and 68, which pivotally engage the shaft 64, and an intermediate portion 19. The movable bracket 65 is biased in cover-opening direction by means of a torsion spring 12, one end of which engages the intermediate portion 16, as at 14, and the outer end of which engages the adjacent flange 62 of the fixed bracket 59, as at 16. The arms 66 and 68 carry elongated blocks 18 and 19 which detachably engage the cover l 2 in a manner hereinafter more fully described. The block 79 is provided with a spool-like member 89 adapted to be engaged by the apertured upper end of a link 82. The lower end of the link 82 is pivoted at 84 to the upper portion 56 of the lever 52. The pivot connection 84 is preferably made somewhat loose so as to provide a certain amount of play between the lever 52 and the link 82.

It will be noted that when the crank arm 56 abuts the stop 55, the pivot point 84 will be over center, or, as viewed in Fig. 3, to the left of a line connecting the pivot point 53 of the crank arm 52 and the junction of the upper end of the link 82 with the spool 88. Similarly, when the crank 52 is moved past dead center in cover opening direction, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3, the pivot point 84 will again be over center.

The cover I2 is provided with a rear extension 86 which may form part of, or which may be a separate piece secured to, the cover as at 88. The extension 86 includes a suitably curved portion 96 which forms a continuation of the contour of the cover, and side walls 92 disposed parallel with the arms 62 of the fixed bracket 59. The side walls 92 are provided on their inner surfaces with elongated socket members 94 which are adapted slidab-ly and detachably to engage the elongated blocks 18 and 19 carried by the side walls 66 and 68 of the bracket 65. The socket members 94 fit loosely over the blocks 18 and 19, so as to leave a little space 96 there- Operation When the cover is in open position, as shown in Fig. 6, the lever 38 is in the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, and the bellcrank 52 and the link 82 are in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which the bellcrank arm 56 abuts the stop 51. The stop 51 prevents further movement of the bellcrank and thus limits the movement of the cover, in opening direction, relative to the roaster. Since, in the position of the parts illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the pivot point 84 is well over center, or to the right of a line passing through the pivot point 53 and the point at which the link 82 engages the spool 86, the downward pressure of the sprin 12 serves to retain the cover in its open position.

To close the roaster cover, the lever 38 is moved to the right to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to return the bellcrank 52 and the link 82 to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3.

As the bellcrank 52 moves in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, the crank arm 56 gradually approaches a vertical position, and the cover 12 is correspondingly moved in closing direction, against the action of the spring 12. The structure is such that, when the crank arm 56 reaches a vertical, or dead center position, the cover [2 will be completely closed. However, in order to guard against accidental displacement of the crank arm from its dead center position, which would result in undesired opening of the cover, by the spring E2, the stop 55 is placed slightly to the left of dead center, as viewed in Fig. 3, and the arrangement of the parts is such that, when the crank arm 56 abuts the stop 55, the pivot point 84 will be slightly over center. The slight movement of the pivot point 84 past dead center permits the spring 12 to move the link 82 downwardly, or in cover opening direction, to a corresponding extent. However, the play provided by the space 96 between the sockets 94 and the blocks 18 and i9, and the play provided between the lever 52 and the link 82, compensate for the slight downward movement of the link and the cover !2 continues to seat on the rim 32 of the liner 26 under its own weight. Since the pivot point 84 is only very slightly over center, the play provided by the space 96 or the play at the pivot 84 needed to permit free seating of the cover on the rim on the liner 26 will be so small as not to be objectionable or in any way detrimental. The pressure of the spring 12 on the link 82 serves to retain the parts in cover closing position to prevent opening of the cover.

It will be noted that, as long as the pivot point 64 is in the over center position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, the cover l2 cannot be opened except by manipulation by the lever 38. This eliminates all danger of scalding the arm of the operator by hot steam emanating from the roaster and to which the arm of the operator would be exposed if it were possible to open the gove' by merely lifting the front end thereof by If desired, the cover can be moved to closing position by grasping and moving the front portion thereof downwardly, without resorting to the lever 38. To look the cover in the closed position, the lever 38 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, so as to cause the crank arm 5% to abut the stop 52, in which position the pivot point 35 will be in the over center position previously referred to. It will be noted that, if the cover is thus closed without the use of the lever 38, when the roaster is cold, there is no danger of injury and that, if the cover of the heated roaster is thus closed after it has been opened by the use of the lever 33, the very hot steam will have escaped so that again there will be no danger of being scalded by highly heated steam.

When it is desired to open the roaster, the lever 38 is moved to the position indicated by the dot and dash line in Fig. 2. The movement of the lever 38 rotates the bellcrank 52 in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, and moves the pivot 86 to the right of dead center. The downward pressure of the spring 12 is now exerted on the link 82, thus assisting in lifting the cover from the closed position shown in Fig. 5, to the open position shown in Fig. 6. The bellcrank 52 and the link 82 continue to move until the bellcrank arm 56 abuts the stop 51, and the cover I2 is in the open position, as shown in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the cover is moved between its closed and open positions by straight movement of the actuating lever 38, and that the desired mechanical advantage is obtained without the necessity of making the various parts of the operating mechanism unduly large or cumbersome. Also, it will be seen that the cover operating mechanism is inconspicuous so as not to mar the appearance of the roaster.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with an open top receptacle having a cover hinged to the receptacle at the rear thereof, of mechanism for raising and lowering said cover comprising a link disposed i a generally vertical position and operatively connected at its upper end to the cover in such manner that upward or downward movement of the link raises or lowers the cover, a lever member pivoted to the receptacle adjacent the rear wall thereof on a horizontal axis extending forwardly and rearwardly, said lever member having a first lever arm which is pivotally connected to the lower end of said link and a second lever arm which extends downwardly throughout its range of travel, an actuating lever disposed adjacent the bottom wall of the receptacle and pivoted on a vertical axis, said actuating lever having one end extending rearwardly from said vertical axis and engaging said second lever arm for actuating the same and having another end extendin to and movable along the bottom of one of the other vertical walls of the receptacle, said actuating lever and said first and second lever arms being so related that vertical movement of said link to raise said cover is efiected by said movement of said actuating lever in one direction and vertical movement of said link to lower said cover is eifected by movement of said actuating lever in the opposite direction,

2. The structure recited in claim 1 together with means for limiting the movement of said lever member and said link, when the pivotal connection of the upper end of said lever member with said link is moved past a line connecting the pivot of said lever member and disconnection of the upper end of said link with said cover.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 in which said actuating lever is pivoted to said receptacle at a point near the connection of the rear end of said actuating lever with the lower end of said second lever arm, the pivot point of said actuating lever being remote from the front end thereof.

4. The structure recited in claim 1 in which said lever member is in the nature of a bellcrank with the first lever arm thereof extending above the pivot point and the second lever arm thereof extending below the pivot point in all positions of said lever member.

5. The structure recited in claim 1 in which said lever member is pivoted to the rear wall of said receptacle and said actuating lever is pivoted to the bottom wall of said receptacle.

6. A mechanism for opening and closing the cover of an open top receptacle from a point remote from said cover, including hinge means for movably connecting the rear edge of said cover to the upper rear portion of said receptacle, a vertically disposed link connected at its upper end to said cover in such a manner that vertical movement of said link opens or closes said cover, a vertically disposed bellcrank pivoted to the rear wall of said receptacle for movement in a vertical plane and connected at its upper end to the lower end of said link, a spring biasing said cover in opening direction, an actuating lever extending transversely of said receptacle from the back to the front thereof and having its rear end connected to the lower end of said bellcrank, said lever being pivoted near its rear end to the bottom of said receptacle for movement in a horizontal plane, said lever and said bellcrank being so related that movement of said lever, in one direction, rotates said bellcrank and moves said link in cover opening direction, and movement of said lever in the opposite direction rotates said bellcrank and moves said link to close said cover, and a stop for limiting rotation of said bellcrank and movement of said link when the pivotal connection of said bellcrank with said link is moved in one direction past a line connecting the pivot of said bellcrank and the junction of the upper end of said link with said cover, the front end of said lever being remote from the pivot point thereof and accessible at the front of said receptacle.

FORREST W. DICKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,338,833 Moon et a1 Sept. 7, 1943 2,354,927 Propernick Aug. 1, 1944 

